Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/82

56 classes. I commence with the Wiradjuri, a very large tribe or nation of tribes occupying a vast extent of country in central New South Wales, and distinguished by a common language in dialectic forms, the name being derived from Wirai, " no."

The Wiradjuri boundaries, as given by Mr. A. L. P. Cameron are as follows:—" On the west by the Ita-ita tribe, commencing at Hay. On the north-west by the Bargunji tribe (Barkinji?). On the north by the Wonghibon. On the north-east by the Kamilaroi. On the east by the Nungawal. On the south-east, south and south-west Burra-bura-ba. This tribe completes the circuit by joining the Ita-ita." The Nungawal is not known to me. The Burra-bura-ba tribe was between the Wiradjuri and the tribes of the Murray River, and I have heard it called Baraba-baraba.

That part of the Wiradjuri of which I had some little knowledge had its location between Hay and Yass, and was divided into a number of sections, which in this case were hordes, descent being in the female line. The principal of these divisions are as follows:— (1) Narrandera (prickly lizard) about Narrandera. (2) Kuta-mundra (river turtle) about Cootamundra. (3) Murring-bulla (two bark canoes) about Murran-burra.

It will be seen from the above that these divisions of the tribes have been perpetuated in the names of the places where these sections had their headquarters.

The Wonghibon tribe occupied country to the north of the Lachlan River, which may be approximately defined by the townships of Mossgiel, Ivanhoe, Cobar, Nymagee, and Nyngan. The only permanent water would be at its north-eastern extremity, where it took in part of the Bogan River, so that those who lived in the south must have either gone to the Lachlan or Darling in periods of drought, or lived upon water obtained from Mallee and other roots.

The eastern boundary of the Wiradjuri is the western